Tips for fireworks stress

Unfortunately for our four-legged friends, this means that every New Year's Eve often involves a few anxious hours under the sofa. Many dogs and cats find the sound and flashes of fireworks frightening. Therefore, start training early, for example with special sound CDs, or use medication in the period leading up to New Year's Eve, so you can save your pet a lot of anxiety.

A few treatment options at a glance:

• Try sound clips of fireworks (e.g. YouTube) to gradually get the dog or cat used to this noise. You must start this training several months in advance.
• A pheromone diffuser or collar that reduces the anxiety of the dog or cat. Start using this about 2 weeks before New Year's Eve.
• Dietary supplements that reduce anxiety in your pet. These should be started about 2 weeks before New Year's Eve.
• A calming supplement such as BF® Relax tablets for cats and dogs and 3-in-1 BF® Bark & Relax biscuits for dogs provides the necessary support in stressful situations such as fireworks. Start using these at least 3 weeks before New Year's Eve. These natural products can be given all year round.
• For animals that become very anxious about fireworks, spending New Year's Eve at a pet hotel in a quiet area can sometimes be a solution.

What you can do for your pet on the evening itself:

• Take your dog out in time, before the worst of the bangs start, and do not let your cat outside in the evening.
• Make sure the room is quiet, close the curtains and keep the lights on, so that flashes are less visible. 
• Turn on the radio or TV softly to muffle the noise from outside. Make sure it is a quiet radio or TV channel, without bangs!
• Show your pet their place, or create a familiar spot with a sweater you have worn. If your pet prefers to crawl under the sofa or into a dark cupboard, let them do so. Make that spot extra comfortable with a blanket or a piece of clothing that smells like you.
• Do not comfort your pet if they are behaving anxiously, and do not punish them either! Speaking in a calm, normal tone or simply sitting calmly with your pet can actually provide support. Do not force them to do anything.
  
• Do not react yourself to the bangs. The animal will then think that it is normal not to react to bangs.
• Give your dog or cat something tasty around midnight so that they are distracted from the sound of fireworks. A BF rawhide chew stick, meat bars and meat chunks snacks for your dog, or tasty cat treats or Tendr'Cat meat snacks for your cat can sometimes provide enough distraction.
  
  In our shop, under 'Problem & Advice', you can see which food or supplements are suitable for your dog and/or cat when stressed. Stress in dogs and cats: recognize the signs – BF Petfood
  

For more information, email: info@bfpetfood.nl or use the contact page.